First Lady Joins Lightning To Promote Vaccinations: Video

TAMPA, FL — As part of a nationwide tour to promote coronavirus vaccinations, First Lady Jill Biden stopped off at Amalie Arena in Tampa Thursday during a vaccination event hosted by the Tampa Bay Lightning titled "Take a Shot."

Joining Biden at the event were Lightning owner Jeff Vinik, Tampa Mayor Jane Castor, National Institutes of Health Director Dr. Anthony Fauci and Robin McGuiness, senior executive officer of patient outcomes for AdventHealth West Florida Division.

AdventHealth, the presenting sponsor of the Tampa Bay Lightning's 2021 Stanley Cup Playoff run and the team's official health and wellness partner, had health care workers on hand to provide Pfizer two-dose and Johnson & Johnson single-dose shots to any Lightning fans attending.

Fans, in turn, were given a chance to take a slap shot on the ice and pose for photos with Lightning mascot ThunderBug. Additionally, five people were randomly selected to receive tickets to Game 7 of the Stanley Cup semifinals Friday at the Amalie Arena and four were chosen to receive $50 gift cards to the Lightning's team store.

President Joe Biden hopes to have 70 percent of all American adults vaccinated by July 4, but experts say he'll be hard-pressed to meet that goal. In Florida, about 50 percent of adults have been vaccinated.

Jill Biden and Fauci's visit to Tampa were in support of Biden's vaccination effort.

"We want everyone to be protected because your life and your health matters to me and your president," Biden said.

Dequitia Parker, 38, of Tampa was among those who showed up at Amalie Arena to receive a vaccination. After battling the coronavirus last year, she said she was reluctant to get vaccinated.

"I was sick with COVID last year so I was kind of hesitant ... because you get injected with the virus," she said. "Just thinking about having that virus again kept me from getting the shot."

Biden reassured Parker while she received a dose of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine.

Afterward, Parker said she was glad she got the shot.

"I'm really hoping people go out and get vaccinated. It's painless; it doesn't take that long," she said. "You're in and out, and you're good to go."

"Everyone who gets vaccinated and everyone who injects a vaccine in someone's arm, it's a very, very important part of the solution," Fauci said.

Castor said she can't emphasize the importance of getting vaccinated enough.

"I have a friend who died last week from COVID," she said. "It's really the responsibility of each individual, not just for their own health but for the health of our community as well."

To date, 634,029 adults or 47.2 percent have been vaccinated in Hillsborough County; 476,391 people or 55.7 percent in Pinellas County are fully vaccinated; and 239,425 people or 46.8 percent have been vaccinated in Pasco County, according to the Florida Department of Health.

Video courtesy AdventHealth

See related stories:

• First Lady Jill Biden To Appear At Vaccination Event At Amalie
• Hillsborough County Likely To Miss Biden's Coronavirus Vaccine Goal
• Pasco County Likely To Miss Biden's Coronavirus Vaccine Goal
• Pinellas County Likely To Miss Biden's Coronavirus Vaccine Goal